GYUHO Lee © 2026
1° OVERVIEW
Reading in childhood has a significant impact on development. Although reading environments have clearly improved over generations, children are actually reading less. Why is that? Are today’s reading-related objects truly aligned with the way children see, move, and feel? NOODING began with this question. We rethought what a 'better reading environment' means from a child’s perspective — and created our own answer.
Accomplishments
🎉
Our Team Achieved
• I led research and modeling in a 3 member team - awarded in one of Korea’s top three design competitions.
• Derived key pain points through interviews and surveys with over 25 children and input from their caregivers.
• Completed full process from research to prototype in 6 months with a 3-member team
• We created a prototype to enable quick feedback on the product.
• Conducted usability and static load tests confirming mock-up sturdiness
2° CHALLENGES
Challenge
This graduation project was our first to merge case study research with physical product development.
We encountered several key challenges :
Recruiting and engaging 20+ children (ages 4–13) in home and external environments
Gathering a wide spectrum of qualitative and quantitative insights to guide design decisions.
Designing forms that balance intuitive interaction with structural durability.
Building functional prototypes for testing in real-life usage scenarios.
Collecting meaningful insights from children and refining our design path proved more demanding than expected, affecting progress toward the goal.
Solution
To fully capture and reflect children’s sensory and behavioral needs, we adopted a focused and time-intensive approach :
Allocated 40% of the project timeline to research and user analysis → ensured deep contextual understanding before ideation.
Dedicated 80% of research resources to direct methods (on-site observation, interviews) → produced richer, actionable insights.
Structured clear work phases to reduce iteration delays.
Developed in-house prototypes to enable immediate feedback and rapid refinement.
By front-loading our efforts, we accelerated progress while maintaining the quality and integrity of the final design solution.
3° DISCOVERy
We asked the children this question..
"Have you ever felt
that reading can be Enjoyable?"
The majority said,
"NO"
🤦♂️
As you know, this answer wasn’t very surprising.
Research
Deep Dive
We conducted the following research approach to gain a clearer understanding of how they currently perceive “Reading.”
Insight Path #1 :
Qualitative & Quantitative Data
We conducted interviews and surveys to understand user behavior and the current reading environment. The research covered reading preferences, average reading time, habits, and library field studies. Some of the learnings are shared below.
Insight Path #2 :
Desk Research (Secondary Data)
Our users are children. After gathering insights, we referred to expert theories on cognitive development by age, which greatly helped us define the appropriate age group and scale for our design direction.
At a Glance
Survey - "What is the current state of reading?"
90% - dislike reading
70% - of children did not visit the library recently
0 book - more than half of the children’s avg monthly reading
↑11 hrs - children’s average daily screen time
↓15 min - children’s average daily 'paper book' reading time
Below is the full sample for these summarized results ⬇
💡
What the Data Says
about Reading
Problem Space
These Findings reveal that …
Less Time with Books
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore etsi dolore magna aliqua. Lorem ipsum dolor scsit amet, ipsumsid consectetur.
Visual Preference
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore etsi dolore magna aliqua. Lorem ipsum dolor scsit amet, ipsumsid consectetur.
Hard to Concentrate
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore etsi dolore magna aliqua. Lorem ipsum dolor scsit amet, ipsumsid consectetur.
➜ From the last response, we assumed that the structure of existing furniture and spaces might potentially cause issues.
Core Issue
Structural Limitation
From this understanding, we wondered whether structural limitations exist. Specifically, we considered that the design of spaces and furniture could hinder the development of sustainable reading habits. Therefore, we explored how these constraints actually affect children’s reading experiences.
Interestingly, ⚠ 2 recurring issues emerged in the survey :
➡ Failure to reflect physical and sensory needs
➡ One-sided environmental design that overlooks user needs
It shows that..
, it greatly affects developing children, and that furniture and spaces should be more intuitive and sensory-focused.
Underlying Factors
Beyond the Page
‘Structural limitations’ alone don’t explain why children are losing interest in reading.
The world has changed, and there are deeper factors driving the decline in reading engagement.
By looking at recurring patterns and habits in daily life, we identified 3 main drivers that negatively shape children’s reading experiences :
• Changing Needs
Children no longer prefer passive reading environments. They’re drawn to immersive, sensory-rich spaces that invite interaction and movement.
• Structural Limitations
Most existing reading furniture is static and one-directional, limiting posture changes and movement. This often makes the space feel uncomfortable or dull.
• Shifting Viewing Habits
Children are used to dynamic screens like phones and tablets. In contrast, books require quiet and sustained focus, which can create a sense of disconnection.
These three factors act as barriers to children starting and keeping reading.
However, this analysis is mainly based on data and initial observations, and needs validation from their real voices and experiences.
insight
From Data to Empathy
Understanding the Real Needs
The initial data and problem statements weren’t enough to fully understand what children and their caregivers were feeling, so we dug deeper to find a more solid direction for our design.
Here’s what we asked :
How do children actually use furniture in their daily lives?
What challenges do parents face in creating a reading environment?
When do children tend to turn away from books?
What factors affect children’s focus and sensory engagement?
↓ We explored 3 in-depth research methods to find the answers.
Field observation
1:1 interviews with 5 parents
Expert insights & literature review
4° diREction
From Insight to Design Principles
✔ Target age : 4–10
Correct habits and environments should be formed during 'The Preoperational Stage'
✔ Flexible seating design
Children struggle to maintain a single fixed posture for long periods, so seating must accommodate movement.
✔ Integrating the boundaries of shelf, seat, and space.
Elements that support a better reading experience often don’t work well together—our design merges them into a cohesive whole.
✔ Follow Children’s Natural Behavior Flow
Kids see furniture as playthings and quickly lose interest in static, non-functional objects.
✔ Adaptable for Multiple Uses and Spaces
It is challenging to create furniture suitable for every child’s environment, so flexibility is key.
Through in-depth research, we derived key insights for improving children’s reading environments. Based on these, we established 5 design principles.
These principles became the foundation for our design direction.
In the next section, we show how they were applied to our concept and final products.
What exactly does a product that 'integrates the boundaries between furniture and space' mean? Should we create a chair without a seat, or one as large as a wall? Our goal was to design an intuitive structure that could be immediately understood in the spatial context. It was important that the furniture never felt confusing.
Strategy
The 'Reading Nook'
After all that thinking, we finally found our direction. So, what exactly is a Reading Nook?
What is a Reading Nook?
A cozy reading nook tucked into a corner — a small yet focused space that helps children start reading and keep going.
Reading Nook is a new concept that seamlessly merges furniture and space, naturally bridging the gap between the two. This became a pivotal moment in shaping our design direction.
Solution & Rationale
The core of the NOOK design is flexibility.
By combining body support with book storage, it effectively addresses the challenges of complex spatial layouts while supporting children’s natural movement flow.
5° Development
From Scale to Form
Scale Definition
Defined key dimensions based on average body measurements of children aged 4–10.
Final Sketch
Refined the final proportions and structure before moving into 3D.
The form began with scale.
Average body measurements helped define proportions that feel supportive and comfortable for children.
From Sketch to 3D
Finalizing the Form
Conceptualization
click
Translated the 2D sketch into a 3D form, focusing on scale, volume, and overall spatial presence.
Refinement
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Refined proportions, structure, and details to improve both visual balance and physical stability.
Finalization
click
Prepared the final model for rendering and technical output, ensuring consistency for physical mockup production.
Beyond the Surface
Early assumptions weren’t enough.
Understanding how children actually use and move around the object helped shape more intuitive and supportive interactions.
Those answers weren’t all that surprising! But we wanted a clearer picture of how kids today really see 'Reading' answers weren’t all that surprising!
Those answers weren’t all that surprising! But we wanted a clearer picture of how kids today really see 'Reading' answers weren’t all that surprising!
SPECS & FEATURES
Materials
To make the design work as intended, we need to pay attention to the small details — especially for children.
See how we’ve considered them.
Colors
Green was chosen to reduce visual distraction and support
focus and calm, helping children read more and stay engaged.
Texture
Surface Material - Woven Cotton Upholstery Fabric
Surface Finish - Smooth with subtle texture
The material was handpicked by us at Dongdaemun(Seoul)
Base Material
Wood, as an eco-friendly material that provides psychological
comfort, is ideal for reading furniture that supports children's
emotional engagement and longer use.
Wood Selection
Affordable, durable, and resistant to warping,
it’s ideal for kids’ furniture.
MDF
Birch Butcher Block
Plywood
..To make the design work as intended, we need to pay attention to the small details especially for children. To make the design work as intended, we need to pay attention to the small details especially for children.
6° the Results
Meaningful Outcomes
After 10 minutes of scrolling, we can finally show you what we’ve been cooking up — and we think you’ll like it.
01. Grad Presentation
We showcased our project at the final graduation exhibition and received an A+ from four professors. (Huge thanks!)
🙌
Touching Moment
Though we didn’t record it, we saw several kids sitting on the chair and showing great interest — a moment we won’t forget.
02. Startup Challenge
We pitched the product in a campus start-up competition to a panel of five judges. It was an exciting moment that showed us the business potential of our design.
03. Competition Award
We also received an Honorable Mention at a Concept Design Award in Korea, which gave us pride in our product.
Retrospective
NOODING didn’t make it to the commercial stage, but honestly, I really wish it had. After finishing the mock-up and wrapping up the project, I was left with a few thoughts I wanted to share.
🧠 Let’s build it ourselves
We decided to create the prototype on our own, just the three of us, using quick feedback and simple tools.
➜ That allowed us to make fast decisions on dimensions, scale, and materials.
You’ve found my teammates,
exhausted in club room.
And… Research
To avoid delays and errors, we dedicated over 40% of the process to research.
It turned out to be the right move, but it also made us curious.
: "How do other teams handle this?"
We’d love to talk with others about strategy and process (+100🔥)
For All Kids
And moving forward, I hope to create products for parents and kids who dream of a better reading space.
NOODING became what it is thanks to them.
Please look forward to a promising future!
"NEXT ARCHIVE"
DIRUNI
Fixie AI
